News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-07-14
NERVE AND GOLD.
Nm Old-FashiOncd Story of the Old
Gambling Times on the Missis-
sippi.
[From the Nashville Americana

| From the Nashville Americana
The late Capt. Jack DashielI, in hi.
long service on the Cumberland, wit
messed many stirring scenes, of which Inc
never tired talking to his friends. Speak
ing of card playing on the pioneer
steamboats,, he once said:
| ''Iherc was one young fellow, I re-
member, who boarded Us at New Or
leans, saying he was on pleasure iaunt
| to Nashville. He was tall, slender
| youth, upon whose lips the faint traces
OF mouStache bctokened manhood
which otherwise might have beer
| doubted. He was singularly handsome
a fine specimen of the aristoc,atiC
| Creole. His garments were fashiOnably
| cut and of rich texture. He wore nc
| JeWelry save a delicately-molded watch
cham, which passed around his neck,
and solitaire diamond, which flashed
| lustrously upon his dark-skinned hand.
He was apparently wealthy, but made
no display of his money; that is. for sew
efttl days. We had been out some time
| and things were moving quite merrily,
when some one proposed poker. That
was nothing unusual, and L paid no at
tentIOn to the preparation for the game
Dinner had just been served, the wines
passed around, and everybody was mel
low for fun. A table was cleared, a new
deck of cards brought out by the clerk,
and the party squared themselves for
play. 1t was composed of three plant
ers, old acquaintances of mine from this
section, and the young Creole. [ passed
the quartet as the first hand was being
dealt, and with wish that they might
+T l,o I,
deck
81 did not come down until supper
time. The players still sat at their
places, and eager lookers-on hung over
the chairs and watched the progress of
the game. 1t had been played with
wavering fortunes, and the stakes, at
first small, had become considerable.
The Creole, from a loser, had become a
heavy winner. He was as cool as an
iceberg, and played his hand like vet
eran. His broad felt hat was pulled
down over his eyes; an embroidered bag
containing gold was near him on the
table, and he tossed out his coins as if the
Sl1tter1ng wheels were so much dross.
He won and loss with equal indifference,
but his pouch grew steadily larger. l
became more and more interested and
lntently watched the play. Finally a
lack spot was declared. The deal was
made, and one of the planters opened it
for $500. The others stayed. The
planters discarded, the opener calling
for two cards, the others for three. but
the Creole stood pat Considerably
over s., 900 We're in the pot, when the
three drew in the hope of lettering. The
planter who had opened bet $500; the
one next to him 'called;' the wife of the
third stood at his chair, and, laying her
hand on his shoulder, begged him to
stop playing; he had already lost heavi-
ly, and, as his draw was not strong, he
laid down his cards. The Creole sat
next to the right. It was his turn to
speak. He put his hand in his fancy
bag and said:
'Gentlemen, I will have to raise you
5000. His tones were liquid, quiet
| and cool; not the faintest tremor of the
hand was perceptiblc as he poured out a
| glttering heap of gold to the amount he
| bad named. He braced himself in his
awaited the results He had stood pat,
the opener of the pot had three aces, the
other planter two pair. The opener re-
volved in his mind the ability of threes
to beat the pat Could the Creole be
bluffing? He had played his hand like
it was winner; his gold had been un-
finchingly laid on the table. The spec
tators breathlessly awaited the next
movement. The players were silent for
Il full minute. The opener finally with
Il muttered exclamation threw his hand
to the deck; the other planter followed
suit. The Creole gently raked the coins
into his pouch. AS he concluded the
pleasing task he gently tipped back his
hat; his eyes, and they were so black
they fairly shonc, carelessly rested upon
his opponents, and with mild inquiry:
''Would you like to see the hand that
beat you, gentlemen?" he spread the
cards upon the table, their faces upward. |
We all bent forward to inspect them. [
thought he had full or a straight Ger
tainly. What did he have? Not single |
pair and nothing better. As the other
players realized how neatly they had
been bluffed look of disgust stole into
their faces which [ can never forget. |
Pretty neat, wasn't it? The game stop |
ped right then and there, and did not |
see another card party formed on that |
trip. As for the winner, he came on to
Nashville and scattered his gains like |
wheat to the winds in a fashionable
spree. I learned afterward that he was
of one of the oldest and most aristocratic |
families in Louisiana.